The Houston Dynamo travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday night (9 p.m. CT | KUBE 57). The team is looking to build on their six-match unbeaten streak in what will be the first of three games in eight days.
Houston currently occupies the first spot in the Western Conference standings but only six points separate them from seventh place Vancouver, just outside the playoff spots. The Dynamo have never won in Vancouver but are optimistic about their chances after collecting a result from their three most recent road games.
“We believe that we can go over there and play even against a very good team,” said head coach Wilmer Cabrera. “The results are telling us that we have the possibilities to face any team in this league right now.”
The Dynamo were able to pick up their first ever point in Vancouver last season in a 1-1 tie. The two clubs faced off earlier this season, for the first time with Cabrera as the Dynamo head coach, in a 2-1 Houston win at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The Dynamo will be without the services of forward Alberth Elis, ineligible to play due to yellow card accumulation. They will welcome back midfielder Alex – the team leader with 10 assists this season – who was unavailable last match due to a red card suspension.
During their current unbeaten run of six matches, the Dynamo have outscored their opponents 11-3. In fact, seven different players have scored during that stretch – and that’s not including two of the club’s top scorers in Romell Quioto and Erick Torres.
“Everyone has to score for us up front,” said Cabrera. “It’s beautiful to have that problem but also, at the same time, it’s a very good competition internally within themselves because they’re going to push themselves to try to do the best.”
The Whitecaps are looking to make a playoff push with the help of their top scorer Fredy Montero – who has three goals in their last three games – and assist leader Christian Bolaños. Defensively, team captain Kendall Waston and goalkeeper David Ousted will be players to watch.
The ‘Caps will be without midfielder Matías Laba, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in last week’s match against the New England Revolution. The Dynamo, for the most part, have managed to stay healthy and Cabrera hopes that can continue to be the case as the team kicks into high gear.
“We prepare to be at the top level during the months of August, September going into the playoff contention,” said Cabrera. “Right now, I think, we’re showing that we are getting better and better and hopefully we keep ourselves healthy because it’s the key in this.”
